how do you cite a case study in mla

How to Cite a Case Study in MLA: Works Cited, Text Citation, and Footnote

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Academic writing is a broad discipline that covers essay writing, report writing, and case study analysis. In all these writings, students use scholarly sources, such as books, case studies, and peer-reviewed journal articles, to validate arguments. Hence, academic writing standards require students to cite sources that they use to present evidence to back up arguments.

General Rules on Citing a Case Study in MLA

If students use a case study as a source and cite it following the MLA format, there some essential details that they must capture in their citation entry. For example, the main elements include:

• Name of the author(s)
• Title of a case study
• Location of a publisher
• Year of publication

Citing a Case Study as a Standalone Document in MLA on the Works Cited Page

If an author has published a case study as a standalone document, a student should cite this source in the Works Cited page in the way they would cite a book. Hence, a citation entry should appear as follows:

Author’s Last Name, First Name. Case Study Title (Title case study and italicized). Location of the Publisher. Publisher, Date. Case Study.  An example would be:

Rosegrant, Susan. Leadership Failure at Wal-Mart: The Curse of Internationalization. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Publishing, 2015.

Citing a Case Study with In-Text Citations and Footnotes in MLA

When it comes to citing a case study in a body of a paper, a student should use a parenthetical citation (in-text) by indicating the last name of the author and the page number in a case study from where the information is picked.

In-Text Citation Example:

If students follow the rules of an MLA format, an in-text citation would appear as (Rosegrant 5).

Footnote Citation Example:

If a student has to use footnotes, a footnote citation example is

Susan Rosegrant, Leadership Failure at Wal-Mart: The Curse of Internationalization (Boston, MA: Harvard Business Publishing, 2015), 5.

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MLA Citation Guide (MLA 9th Edition): Case Studies

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Answer Last Updated: Aug 23, 2023     Views: 20387

Author's Last Name, Author's First Name. "Title of Case Study." Case Study Number (if given), Publisher, Year of Publication.  Database Name . Case Study.

Havard, Cody T. " Basketball at the Most Magical Place on Earth: A Case Study of the NBA’s Season Conclusion at Walt Disney World Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic." SAGE, 2021.  SAGE Business Cases . Case Study.   

  According to APA, case studies do not have their own citation style or process, instead, cite as an article. 

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How to Cite a Case Study

Last Updated: March 6, 2024

This article was reviewed by Gerald Posner and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Gerald Posner is an Author & Journalist based in Miami, Florida. With over 35 years of experience, he specializes in investigative journalism, nonfiction books, and editorials. He holds a law degree from UC College of the Law, San Francisco, and a BA in Political Science from the University of California-Berkeley. He’s the author of thirteen books, including several New York Times bestsellers, the winner of the Florida Book Award for General Nonfiction, and has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History. He was also shortlisted for the Best Business Book of 2020 by the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. This article has been viewed 37,762 times.

Particularly in research for business studies or papers in the social sciences, you may want to cite a case study completed by a university or other organization. While case studies have titles and publication information like other articles, they often have a unique case study number that is typically included in your citation. While Chicago citation style is most frequently used in business schools, you may also use the American Psychological Association (APA) or Modern Language Association (MLA) style.

Sample Citations

• Example: Lee, Stan.
• If there is more than one author, list the additional authors' names in first-middle initial-last format. Separate author's names with commas, with the word "and" before the last author's name.

• Example: Lee, Stan. "DC Comics in 2016." HBS No. 999-111.

• Example: Lee, Stan. "DC Comics in 2016." HBS No. 999-111. Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing, 2017.

• Example: Lee, Stan. "DC Comics in 2016." HBS No. 999-111. Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing, 2017. http://hbsp.harvard.edu, accessed July 2018.

• Print example: Stan Lee, "DC Comics in 2016," HBS No. 999-111 (Boston, Harvard Business School Publishing, 2017), p. 14.
• Online example: Stan Lee, "DC Comics in 2016," HBS No. 999-111 (Boston, Harvard Business School Publishing, 2017), http://hbsp.harvard.edu, accessed July 2018.

• Example: Lee, S.
• Separate the names of multiple authors with commas, placing an ampersand before the last author's name.

• Example: Lee, S. (2017).
• If there is no year of publication listed, use the abbreviation "n.d." in the parentheses.

• Example: Lee, S. (2017). DC Comics in 2016 .

• Example: Lee, S. (2017). DC Comics in 2016 . HBS No. 999-111.

• Example: Lee, S. (2017). DC Comics in 2016 . HBS No. 999-111. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing.

• Example: (Lee, 2017).

• If there are 2 authors, place the word "and" between their names. For 3 or more, use commas with the word "and" before the final author. After the first author, list subsequent authors with their first name followed by their last name. For example: Lee, Stan and Clark Kent.

• Example: Lee, Stan. DC Comics in 2016. Case Study.

• Example: Lee, Stan. DC Comics in 2016. Case Study. Boston. Harvard Business School Publishing, 2017.
• Note that unlike many other citation styles, the unique case study number is not necessarily included for MLA citations. Ask your instructor or supervisor if they want this information included in your citation.

• Print example: Lee, Stan. DC Comics in 2016. Case Study. Boston. Harvard Business School Publishing, 2017. Print.
• Web example: Lee, Stan. DC Comics in 2016. Case Study. Boston. Harvard Business School Publishing, 2017. Web. 17 July 2018.
• If you accessed the case study online, you may put the URL of the case study. However, this isn't required by MLA style. Ask your instructor or supervisor for their preference.

• Example: (Lee 27).

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• ↑ https://guides.library.ualberta.ca/apa-citation-style/case-studies
• ↑ http://libanswers.snhu.edu/faq/128490
• ↑ http://libanswers.walsh.edu/faq/147917
• ↑ http://maag.guides.ysu.edu/businesscitations/mla

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How to Cite a Case Study: Different Styles

November 20, 2023

Properly citing case studies plays a crucial role in academic writing for several reasons. Firstly, citing case studies demonstrates the credibility and reliability of your arguments and research. By referencing the original sources, you show that you have conducted thorough research and have used reputable and authoritative information to support your claims.

Secondly, citing case studies allows readers to further explore the topic and verify the information provided. It enables them to locate and read the full case study if they wish to delve deeper into the details and findings. This promotes transparency and fosters a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter.

Finally, citing case studies acknowledges the contributions of the original authors and researchers. By giving proper credit, you adhere to ethical standards of academic integrity and avoid plagiarism. It also ensures that the individuals responsible for the case study receive recognition for their work.

In summary, citing case studies is essential in academic writing to enhance credibility, facilitate further exploration, and acknowledge the original authors’ contributions.

Basic Guidelines for Citing a Case Study

When citing a case study in your essay, it is important to follow some basic guidelines to ensure accuracy and consistency. Here are the key guidelines to keep in mind:

• Identify the case study: Start by providing the full title of the case study, along with the names of the authors or researchers involved. Include any relevant publication information, such as the name of the journal or book in which the case study is published.
• Format the citation style: Depending on the citation style required by your academic institution or professor, format your case study citation accordingly. Common citation styles include APA, MLA, Chicago, and Harvard. Each style has specific rules for formatting and referencing case studies, so familiarize yourself with the requirements of the chosen style.
• Include the case study publication date: In addition to the authors’ names and title, mention the date on which the case study was published. This provides important chronological context for your readers and allows them to assess the relevance and currency of the information presented.
• Provide a direct link or source: Whenever possible, include a direct link or source to the case study. This could be a URL to an online version of the case study, a DOI (Digital Object Identifier), or the volume and page numbers if it is published in a journal or book. This helps readers locate the case study easily and access it for further reading.

By adhering to these basic guidelines, you can ensure that your case study citations are accurate, consistent, and accessible for your readers. Remember to consult the specific guidelines of your chosen citation style to ensure complete adherence.

Citing a Case Study in APA Format

When citing a case study in APA format, follow these guidelines to accurately reference the source:

• Author(s) of the case study: Include the last name(s) and initials of the author(s) of the case study. If there are multiple authors, separate their names with commas and use an ampersand (&) before the last author’s name.
• Year of publication: Provide the year the case study was published in parentheses.
• Title of the case study: Use sentence case capitalization for the title. Only capitalize the first word and proper nouns.
• Source information: Depending on the source type, include additional details following the title. For example:
• If it is a journal article, include the journal name in italics, volume number(issue number), and page range.
• If it is a book chapter, include the book title in italics and the editors’ names.
• If it is an online source, provide the URL and the date of access.

Example APA citation for a case study:

• Single author: Author, A. (Year). Title of case study. Source information.
• Multiple authors: Author, A., & Author, B. (Year). Title of case study. Source information.

Make sure to properly format the citation, including hanging indents, use of italics, and punctuation. Additionally, list all the case studies you cited in a separate references page at the end of your essay, following APA formatting guidelines.

Citing a Case Study in MLA Format

When citing a case study in MLA format, follow these guidelines to reference the source accurately:

• Authors of the case study: Include the author’s name(s) in the order they appear in the source, but inverted (last name, first name).
• Title of the case study: Use sentence case capitalization. Capitalize the first word, proper nouns, and any other words that would normally be capitalized. Italicize the title.
• Title of the source: Use italics to indicate the title of the source. This could be the name of the journal, book, or website.
• Publication information: Depending on the source type, include additional details following the source title. For example:
• If it is a journal article, include the name of the journal in italics, volume number (issue number), and page range.
• If it is a book chapter, include the book title in italics, the editors’ names, publisher, year of publication, and page range.
• If it is an online source, provide the name of the website in italics, the date of publication, the name of the publisher, the URL, and the date of access.

Example MLA citation for a case study:

• Single author: Author last name, First name. “Title of case study.” Title of source, Publication information.
• Multiple authors: Last name, First name and First name Last name. “Title of case study.” Title of source, Publication information.

Remember to properly format the citation, including hanging indents, use of italics, and punctuation. Additionally, list all the case studies you cited in a separate works cited page at the end of your essay, following MLA formatting guidelines.

Citing a Case Study in Chicago Style

When citing a case study in Chicago style, follow these guidelines to reference the source accurately:

• Title of the case study: Use sentence case capitalization. Capitalize the first word, proper nouns, and any other words that would normally be capitalized. Enclose the title in double quotation marks.

Example Chicago citation for a case study:

• Single author: Author last name, first name. “Title of case study.” In Title of source, publication information.
• Multiple authors: Last name, first name, and first name last name. “Title of case study.” In Title of source, publication information.

Remember to properly format the citation, including hanging indents and punctuation. Additionally, list all the case studies you cited in a separate bibliography page at the end of your essay, following Chicago formatting guidelines.

Citing a Case Study in Harvard Style

When citing a case study in Harvard style, follow these guidelines to accurately reference the source:

• Authors of the case study: Include the last name(s) and initials of the author(s) of the case study. Separate multiple authors’ names with commas and use an ampersand (&) before the last author’s name.
• Title of the case study: Use sentence case capitalization for the title. Capitalize the first word, proper nouns, and any other words that would normally be capitalized. Italicize the title.

Example Harvard citation for a case study:

Ensure the citation is properly formatted, including punctuation, use of italics, and indentation. Also, list all the case studies cited in a separate references list at the end of the essay, following Harvard formatting guidelines.

Online Databases for Finding Case Studies

Finding case studies for your essay is made easier with the availability of online databases. These databases compile various case studies from different disciplines, allowing you to access a wide range of relevant examples. Here are some online databases you can use to find case studies:

• Google Scholar : This widely-used search engine provides access to scholarly articles, including case studies. Use specific keywords to narrow down your search and include the phrase “cite a case study” to find articles that specifically discuss how to cite case studies.
• EBSCOhost : EBSCOhost is a popular online research platform that offers access to multiple databases such as Academic Search Complete, Business Source Complete, and Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection. These databases contain numerous case studies across various fields.
• JSTOR : JSTOR is a digital library that provides access to academic journals, books, and primary sources. It covers diverse disciplines and includes a vast collection of case studies that can be useful for your research.
• ProQuest : ProQuest is another comprehensive research tool that offers access to a wide range of databases, including scholarly journals, newspapers, and dissertations. It houses a substantial collection of case studies covering multiple subject areas.

When searching in these databases, use keywords specific to your topic, such as the name of the industry or concept you are focusing on. Additionally, if you find a relevant case study, make sure to cite it correctly using the appropriate citation style.

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Published February 4, 2021. Updated August 9, 2021.

To create a reference or citation for a case study, you will need to know basic information including the name of the author, title of the case study, journal or book title, and publication year.

The templates and examples below will show you how to cite a case study in MLA style, APA style, Chicago style, and Harvard referencing style.

Easily cite a case study in the style of your choice using the  Chegg Writing citation generator .

Help protect your paper against accidental plagiarism with the Chegg Writing  plagiarism checker  and  citation generator .

Citing a case study in MLA style

In-text citation template and example:

(Author Surname Page number)

(Rapp and Caramazza 373)

Works cited entry template and example:

Surname, First M. “Title of the Case Study.”  Name of Publication , Volume number, Issue number, Publication Day Month Year, Page number. Case study.

Rapp, Brenda, and Alfonso Caramazza. “Selective Difficulties with Spoken Nouns and Written Verbs: A Single Case Study.”  Journal of Neurolinguistics , vol. 15, no. 3, 2002, pp. 373–402. Case Study.

Citing a case study in APA style

(Author Surname, Year)

(Rapp & Caramazza, 2002)

Reference list entry template and example:

Surname, F. M. (Publication Year). Title of the case study [Case study].  Name of Publication , Volume(Issue), Page number.

Rapp, B., & Caramazza, A. (2002). Selective difficulties with spoken nouns and written verbs: A single case study [Case study].  Journal of Neurolinguistics,  15(3), 373–402.

Citing a case study in Chicago style, notes-bibliography

Footnote template and example:

Author Full Name, “Title of the Case Study,”

Name of Publication

Volume number, Issue number (Publication Month Day, Year): Page number.

Brenda Rapp and Alfonso Caramazza, “Selective Difficulties with Spoken Nouns and Written Verbs: A Single Case Study,”

Journal of Neurolinguistics

15, no. 3 (2002): 373.

Shortened Note

Author Surname, “Shortened Title of the Case Study,” Page number.

Rapp and Caramazza, “Selective Difficulties,” 402.

Bibliography entry template and example:

Author Surname, First M. “Title of the Case Study.”  Name of Publication  Volume number, Issue number (Publication Month Day, Year): Page number.

Rapp, Brenda, and Alfonso Caramazza. “Selective Difficulties with Spoken Nouns and Written Verbs: A Single Case Study.”  Journal of Neurolinguistics  15, no. 3 (2002): 373–402.

Citing a case study in Chicago style, author-date

(Author Surname Publication year)

(Rapp and Caramazza 2002)

Author Surname, First M. Publication year. “Title of the Case Study.”  Name of Publication  Volume number, Issue number: Page number.

Rapp, Brenda, and Alfonso Caramazza. 2002. “Selective Difficulties with Spoken Nouns and Written Verbs: A Single Case Study.”  Journal of Neurolinguistics  15, no. 3: 373–402.

How to cite a case study in Harvard referencing style

(Author Surname, Publication Year)

(Rapp and Caramazza, 2002)

Author Surname, F.M. (Publication Year) ‘Title of case study’,  Name of Journal , Volume(Issue), pp. #-#.

Rapp, B. and Caramazza, A. (2002) ‘Selective difficulties with spoken nouns and written verbs: A single case study’,  Journal of Neurolinguistics , 15(3-5), pp. 373–402.

Writing a paper ? Don’t forget to include a  bibliography .

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• A complete guide to MLA in-text citations

MLA In-text Citations | A Complete Guide (9th Edition)

Published on July 9, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on March 5, 2024.

An MLA in-text citation provides the author’s last name and a page number in parentheses.

If a source has two authors, name both. If a source has more than two authors, name only the first author, followed by “ et al. ”

If the part you’re citing spans multiple pages, include the full page range. If you want to cite multiple non-consecutive pages at the same time, separate the page numbers with commas.

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Table of contents

Where to include an mla in-text citation, citing sources with no author, citing sources with no page numbers, citing different sources with the same author name, citing sources indirectly, frequently asked questions about mla in-text citations.

Place the parenthetical citation directly after the relevant quote or paraphrase , and before the period or other punctuation mark (except with  block quotes , where the citation comes after the period).

If you have already named the author in the sentence, add only the page number in parentheses. When mentioning a source with three or more authors outside of parentheses, use “and others” or “and colleagues” in place of “et al.”

• MLA is the second most popular citation style (Smith and Morrison 17–19) .
• According to Smith and Morrison , MLA is the second most popular citation style (17–19) .
• APA is by far “the most used citation style in the US” (Moore et al. 74) , but it is less dominant in the UK (Smith 16) .
• Moore and colleagues state that APA is more popular in the US than elsewhere (74) .

Combining citations

If a sentence is supported by more than one source, you can combine the citations in a single set of parentheses. Separate the two sources with a semicolon .

Livestock farming is one of the biggest global contributors to climate change (Garcia 64; Davies 14) .

Consecutive citations of the same source

If you cite the same source repeatedly within a paragraph, you can include the full citation the first time you cite it, then just the page number for subsequent citations.

MLA is the second most popular citation style (Smith and Morrison 17–19) . It is more popular than Chicago style, but less popular than APA (21) .

You can do this as long as it remains clear what source you’re citing. If you cite something else in between or start a new paragraph, reintroduce the full citation again to avoid ambiguity.

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For sources with no named author , the in-text citation must match the first element of the Works Cited entry. This may be the name of an organization, or the title of the source.

If the source title or organization name is longer than four words, shorten it to the first word or phrase in the in-text citation, excluding any articles ( a, an, and the ). The shortened title or organization name should begin with the word the source is alphabetized by in the Works Cited.

Follow the general MLA rules for formatting titles : If the source is a self-contained work (e.g. a whole website or an entire book ), put the title in italics; if the source is contained within a larger whole (e.g. a page on a website or a chapter of a book), put the title in quotation marks.

If a source does not have page numbers but is divided into numbered parts (e.g. chapters, sections, scenes, Bible books and verses, Articles of the Constitution , or timestamps), use these numbers to locate the relevant passage.

If the source does not use any numbering system, include only the author’s name in the in-text citation. Don’t include paragraph numbers unless they are explicitly numbered in the source.

Note that if there are no numbered divisions and you have already named the author in your sentence, then no parenthetical citation is necessary.

If your Works Cited page includes more than one entry under the same last name, you need to distinguish between these sources in your in-text citations.

Multiple sources by the same author

If you cite more than one work by the same author, add a shortened title to signal which source you are referring to.

In this example, the first source is a whole book, so the title appears in italics; the second is an article published in a journal, so the title appears in quotation marks.

Different authors with the same last name

To distinguish between different authors with the same last name, use the authors’ initials (or, if the initials are the same, full first names) in your in-text citations:

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Sometimes you might want to cite something that you found quoted in a secondary source . If possible, always seek out the original source and cite it directly.

If you can’t access the original source, make sure to name both the original author and the author of the source that you accessed . Use the abbreviation “qtd. in” (short for “quoted in”) to indicate where you found the quotation.

In these cases, only the source you accessed directly is included in the Works Cited list.

You must include an MLA in-text citation every time you quote or paraphrase from a source (e.g. a book , movie , website , or article ).

Some source types, such as books and journal articles , may contain footnotes (or endnotes) with additional information. The following rules apply when citing information from a note in an MLA in-text citation :

• To cite information from a single numbered note, write “n” after the page number, and then write the note number, e.g. (Smith 105n2)
• To cite information from multiple numbered notes, write “nn” and include a range, e.g. (Smith 77nn1–2)
• To cite information from an unnumbered note, write “un” after the page number, with a space in between, e.g. (Jones 250 un)

If a source has two authors, name both authors in your MLA in-text citation and Works Cited entry. If there are three or more authors, name only the first author, followed by et al.

If a source has no author, start the MLA Works Cited entry with the source title . Use a shortened version of the title in your MLA in-text citation .

If a source has no page numbers, you can use an alternative locator (e.g. a chapter number, or a timestamp for a video or audio source) to identify the relevant passage in your in-text citation. If the source has no numbered divisions, cite only the author’s name (or the title).

If you already named the author or title in your sentence, and there is no locator available, you don’t need a parenthetical citation:

• Rajaram  argues that representations of migration are shaped by “cultural, political, and ideological interests.”
• The homepage of The Correspondent describes it as “a movement for radically different news.”

Yes. MLA style uses title case, which means that all principal words (nouns, pronouns , verbs, adjectives , adverbs , and some conjunctions ) are capitalized.

This applies to titles of sources as well as the title of, and subheadings in, your paper. Use MLA capitalization style even when the original source title uses different capitalization .

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MLA (Modern Language Association) Citation Style

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** NOTE: This guide uses the 8th edition of the MLA Citation Guide

MLA (Modern Language Association) Citation Style is primarily used in the humanities, especially in English and Literature fields. Make sure to check which citation style is required before you start for class assignments or research publications. 

This is a very quick overview of what should be included in your citations. Much more detail is provided on the Work Cited page. While not every element is used for every source, the elements should appear in this order when they are present: 

• Title of source. (Title of newspaper article, magazine article, journal article)
• Title of container, (Title of newspaper, magazine, journal, etc.)
• Other contributors,
• Publication date,

How do you cite and format a free standing quotation (epigraph) at the beginning of a paper in MLA or APA?

How do you cite a curriculum vitae or resume in MLA or APA? 

How do I write an MLA or APA citation for a case study? 

MLA Style Center 

Citation Managers: Zotero & Mendeley Research Guide

Plagiarism & Prevention Research Guide

Umass Boston Academic Integrity Page

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MLA Citation Guide (MLA 8th Edition): How Do I Cite?

• Introduction
• Advertisements

Books, eBooks & Pamphlets

Business reports from library databases, class notes & presentations, encyclopedias & dictionaries.

• Court & Government Documents

Images, Charts, Graphs, Maps & Tables

Interviews and emails (personal communications), journal articles.

• Legal Resources

Magazine Articles

Newspaper articles, religious texts, social media, videos & dvds.

• Websites (Blogs, Wikipedia, Facebook)
• When Creating Digital Assignments
• Missing Information (No author, date, page numbers,database name)

Works Quoted in Another Source

• In-Text Citation
• Works Cited List & Sample Paper
• Annotated Bibliography
• Citation Software

How to Cite ChatGPT and AI in MLA Format

• How to Cite ChatGPT and AI in MLA Format This article focuses only on MLA format.

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On this page you'll see ways to cite the following:

• Advertisements in Print from a Magazine, Journal or Newspaper
• Book in Print with One Author
• Book in Print with Two Authors
• Book in Print with Three or More Authors
• Book With a Group or Corporate Author
• Course Package - Journal Article
• Course Package - Short Story
• eBook From a Library Database with One Author
• eBook From a Library Database with Two Authors
• eBook from a Library Database with Three or More Authors
• eBook from a Website
• Short Story, Essay, or Article from a Book (Anthology or Collection)
• Business Source Premier - Reports
• LexisNexis - Report
• Instructor's Presentation Slides (PowerPoint)
• Instructor's Notes or Handout Provided In Class
• Encyclopedia or Dictionary From Library Database - Known Author
• Encyclopedia or Dictionary From Library Database - Unknown Author
• Encyclopedia or Dictionary From a Website - Known Author
• Encyclopedia or Dictionary From a Website - Unknown Author
• Encyclopedia or Dictionary Entry In Print - Known Author
• Encyclopedia or Dictionary In Print - Unknown Author

Government Documents

• Government Document From a Website
• Government Document in Print
• Newspaper Article From a Library Database
• Newspaper Article From a Website
• Newspaper Article in Print
• Figure (Photo, Image, Graph, or Chart)
• Image from Microsoft Clip Art
• Google Map Inserted into a Research Paper
• Personal (In Person) Interview
• Email Interview
• Telephone Interview
• Journal Article from a Library Database With a DOI Number - One Author
• Journal Article from a Library Database With a DOI Number - Two Authors
• Journal Article From Library Database Without a DOI Number - One Author
• Journal Article From Library Database Without a DOI Number - Two Authors
• Journal Article From a Website - One Author
• Journal Article From a Website - Two Authors
• Journal Article in Print - One Author
• Journal Article in Print - Two Authors
• Three or More Authors
• In-Text Citation For Two or More Authors/Editors

Legal Citations

Because of the complexity of legal citations, MLA follows a legal citation style guide for citing sources such as legislation and case law. Legal citations in your Works Cited list will look significantly different from other material that you may cite.

The Legal Information Institute at Cornell University Law Library, offers an Introduction of Basic Legal Citation .  In-text citations should still follow the standard MLA format.

The following resources also have examples for citing legal resources:

• The Law Student's Quick Guide to Legal Citation By the Boston University School of Law Legal Information Librarians, edited by Steve Donweber, 2012
• Legal Citation Guides and Abbreviations A guide from the Harvard Law School Library; editor Deanna Barmakian. Updated May 2018.
• Magazine Article From a Library Database - One Author
• Magazine Article From a Library Database - Two Authors
• Magazine Article From a Library Database - Unknown Author
• Magazine Article From a Website
• Magazine Article in Print - One Author
• Magazine Article in Print - Two or More Authors
• Magazine Article in Print - Unknown Author
• Citing Three or More Authors
• Streaming Video From a Website (YouTube, Vimeo, Hulu, etc.) - Known Author
• Streaming Video From a Library Database (Films on Demand, SeneMA, etc.)
• Twitter (Tweets)
• Bible/Qur'an/Talmud, etc. (All Scripture)
• Streaming Video From a Website - Creator's Real Name Known
• Streaming Video From a Website - Creator's Real Name Not Known
• DVD or Film
• Television Series Episode
• Page on a Website Created by a Corporation, Institution, or Group
• Website with a Known Author
• Page or Document on a Website with a Known Author
• Page or Document on a Website with an Unknown Author
• Government Page or Document from a Website

Missing Information

• No Page Numbers
• No Database Name

Sometimes an author of a book, article or website will mention another person’s work by using a quotation or paraphrased idea from that source. ( This may be called a secondary source.)  For example, the Kirkey article you are reading includes a quotation by Smith that you would like to include in your essay.

The basic rule is that in both your References list and in-text citation you will still cite Kirkey.  Kirkey will appear in your Works Cited list – NOT Smith.

You will add the words “qtd. in” to your in-text citation.  

Examples of in-text citations:

According to a study by Smith (qtd. in Kirkey) 42% of doctors would refuse to perform legal euthanasia.

Smith (qtd. in Kirkey) states that “even if euthanasia was legal, 42% of doctors would be against this method of assisted dying” (A.10).

Example of Reference list citation:

Kirkey, Susan. "Euthanasia."   The Montreal Gazette , 9 Feb. 2013, p. A.10. Canadian Newsstand Major Dailies.

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MLA Style: Overview

• Works Cited: Books
• Works Cited: Articles
• Works Cited: Other web content
• In-text citation

Modern Language Association Style, 9th Edition

• MLA Handbook Plus This link opens in a new window Online version of the handbook
• Using MLA Format Includes searchable FAQs

When to cite

Citations are a necessary component of a research paper. Scenarios that need a citation:

• Direct quotations
• Original ideas or arguments
• Statistics or original research
• Opinions or claims made by others
• Images or artwork
• Data/datasets

You do NOT need to cite:

• Common knowledge, which includes commonly accepted facts, common sense, myths, and historical events (but not historical documents)
• Your own words or ideas unless published in a previous work

MLA Editable Templates

• MLA 9th ed. Template Microsoft Word downloadable template
• MLA Template for student papers in Box Download from Box

Citation Tools

Look for a "Cite" button in library databases or Library Search . You can also export citations to a citation manager like Refworks or Zotero.

Citation generators are a time saver, but they are not always correct. If you use them, be sure to check for errors.

Common Errors of Citation Generators

Check that the following match the citation style you are using:

• Titles are correctly capitalized. Some styles capitalize all words and some only capitalize the first word.
• Names are properly formatted.
• Correct to make sure nothing is in all caps.
• Look for incomplete information.
• For citations generated from databases, remove database links. Leave DOI links.

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Related Tutorials

• Writing Responsibly, Canvas tutorial (75 minutes) Learn when and why to cite sources, differentiate between quoting, summarizing, and paraphrasing, and identify good working habits for managing sources.
• MLA Citation, Canvas tutorial (25 minutes) Learn the basics of MLA citation style in this interactive tutorial.
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• How to Cite
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How to Cite a Study in MLA

For many academic disciplines, scholarly studies form an important part of the research process for academic papers, particularly in fields like medicine and astrophysics, where textbooks printed two years ago can quite possibly contain outdated or disproved information. Because individual studies are typically much less widely available than books, it's important to provide correctly formatted citations so that readers of your paper can easily access and fact-check your work. MLA formatting creates a straightforward and streamlined citation that can be easily followed by anyone wishing to access your sources.

List the author or authors. Write the last name first, followed by a comma, then the first name, ended with a period. If there are two authors, replace the period with a comma and add the phrase "and second author." Replace the words "second author" with the author's name. Write the second author's first name first, followed by the last. If the study has three or more authors, follow the first author's name with a comma and the phrase "et al." and do not include the other authors. For instance, the entry for a recent study on Aspirin use, which was coauthored by five clinical physicians, would read, "Huang, Edward, et al."

Add two spaces after the author entry, and write the title of the study in title case, capitalizing all important words. Place the title in quotation marks and add a period before the closing quotation. For example:

Huang, Edward, et al. "Long-Term Use of Aspirin and the Risk of Gastrointestinal Bleeding."

Add two spaces after the title entry and write the name of the publication or periodical in which the study appeared, in title case, followed by the volume number, year of publication and pages cited as part of your research. Italicize the name of the publication, but do not italicize the volume number, year or pages. Place the year in parentheses, followed by a colon. Complete the entry by adding a period after the pages cited. For example:

Huang, Edward, et al. "Long-Term Use of Aspirin and the Risk of Gastrointestinal Bleeding." American Journal of Medicine Volume 124 (2011): Pages 426-433.

Add two spaces, and indicate the source and medium of publication. If your research was completed using a hard copy of the study, write "Print." If you accessed the study online, write "Web," followed by your most recent date of access. You do not need to write the web address. In either case, complete the entry with a period. For example:

Huang, Edward, et al. "Long-Term Use of Aspirin and the Risk of Gastrointestinal Bleeding." American Journal of Medicine Volume 124 (2011): Pages 426-433. Print.

Need help with a citation? Try our citation generator .

Michael Cohen has been a technical writer since 2006. His areas of expertise include classical music and nonprofit management, and his work has been featured across a variety of media platforms. Cohen received his bachelor's degree from The New School in New York City.

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Q. How do I cite a case study in Harvard Business Review?

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Answered By: Katie Hutchison Last Updated: Oct 26, 2016     Views: 353582

Harvard Business Review - Case Studies

This format would apply to any business case including Harvard Business Review, Ivey and MIT Sloane cases:

Author(s). Name of the case. Business Case. City. Publisher. Date. Format (Print or Web) If your format is Web include the date it was accessed. EXAMPLE: Yoffe, David B. and Renee Kim. Apple Inc in 2010. Case Study. Boston. Harvard Business Publishing, 2010. Web. 28 October 2010.

  APA Format

Harvard Business School Case Study

Citation elements required and general format:

Author(s). (Year). Title of case study . HBS No. number of case study. City, State abbreviation or Country of publication: Publisher. EXAMPLES:

One Author:

Smith, S. (2003). Leadership. HBS No. 7-806-122. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing.

Two Authors:

Eisenmann, T., & Herman, K. (2006). Google, Inc. HBS No. 9-806-105. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing.

  In-text citation examples – Harvard Business School Case Study

APA in-text citations include the author’s last name, the year of publication, and the page number (for quotes), either as part of the text of your paper or in parentheses.

…as the case study concluded (Smith, 2003, p. 6).

Smith reported (2003, p. 6) that the data was flawed.

Eisenmann and Herman did agree on the research findings (2006, p. 11).

… as both researchers agreed (Eisenmann & Herman, 2006, p. 11).

Chicago Manual of Style ( PDF selections copied from Grove City College Henry Buhl Library)

CASES (PRINTED)   

Footnote   

Mikołaj  Jan  Piskorski  and David Chen, “Twitter,” HBS No. 710-455 (Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing, 2010), p. 8.   

Bibliography   

Piskorski ,  Mikołaj  Jan, and David Chen. “Twitter.” HBS No. 710-455. Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing, 2010.   

CASES (ONLINE)   

On the Web   

Amy C. Edmondson and Laura R. Feldman, “Group Process in the Challenger Launch Decision (A),” HBS No. 603-068 (Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing, 2002), http://hbsp.harvard.edu, accessed October 2012.   

Edmondson, Amy C., and Laura R. Feldman. “Group Process in the Challenger Launch Decision (A).” HBS No. 603-068. Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing, 2002. http://hbsp. harvard.edu, accessed September 2007.   

Michael J. Enright et al., “Daewoo and the Korean Chaebol,” University of Hong Kong case no. HKU143 (University of Hong Kong, August 2001), via Harvard Business Publishing, http://hbsp.harvard.edu/, accessed March 2007.   

Bibliography   

Enright, Michael J., et al. “Daewoo and the Korean Chaebol.” University of Hong Kong case no. HKU143 (University of Hong Kong, August 2001). Harvard Business Publishing. http://hbsp.harvard.edu/, accessed March 2007.   

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MLA Works Cited: Other Common Sources

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Several sources have multiple means for citation, especially those that appear in varied formats: films, DVDs, television shows, music, published and unpublished interviews, interviews over e-mail, published and unpublished conference proceedings. The following section discusses these sorts of citations as well as others not covered in the print, periodical, and electronic sources sections.

Use the following format for all sources:

Author. Title. Title of container (self contained if book), Other contributors (translators or editors), Version (edition), Number (vol. and/or no.), Publisher, Publication Date, Location (pages, paragraphs URL or DOI). 2 nd container’s title, Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, Location, Date of Access (if applicable).

An Interview

Interviews typically fall into two categories: print or broadcast published and unpublished (personal) interviews, although interviews may also appear in other, similar formats such as in e-mail format or as a Web document.

Personal Interviews

Personal interviews refer to those interviews that you conduct yourself. List the interview by the name of the interviewee. Include the descriptor Personal interview and the date of the interview.

Smith, Jane. Personal interview. 19 May 2014.

Published Interviews (Print or Broadcast)

List the interview by the full name of the interviewee. If the name of the interview is part of a larger work like a book, a television program, or a film series, place the title of the interview in quotation marks and place the title of the larger work in italics. If the interview appears as an independent title, italicize it. For books, include the author or editor name after the book title.

Note: If the interview from which you quote does not feature a title, add the descriptor, Interview by (unformatted) after the interviewee’s name and before the interviewer’s name.

Gaitskill, Mary. Interview with Charles Bock. Mississippi Review , vol. 27, no. 3, 1999, pp. 129-50.

Amis, Kingsley. “Mimic and Moralist.” Interviews with Britain’s Angry Young Men , By Dale Salwak, Borgo P, 1984.

Online-only Published Interviews

List the interview by the name of the interviewee. If the interview has a title, place it in quotation marks. Cite the remainder of the entry as you would other exclusive web content. Place the name of the website in italics, give the publisher name (or sponsor), the publication date, and the URL.

Note: If the interview from which you quote does not feature a title, add the descriptor Interview by (unformatted) after the interviewee’s name and before the interviewer’s name.

Zinkievich, Craig. Interview by Gareth Von Kallenbach. Skewed & Reviewed , 27 Apr. 2009, www.arcgames.com/en/games/star-trek-online/news/detail/1056940-skewed-%2526-reviewed-interviews-craig. Accessed 15 May 2009.

Speeches, Lectures, or Other Oral Presentations (including Conference Presentations)

Start with speaker’s name. Then, give the title of the speech (if any) in quotation marks. Follow with the title of the particular conference or meeting and then the name of the organization. Name the venue and its city (if the name of the city is not listed in the venue’s name). Use the descriptor that appropriately expresses the type of presentation (e.g., Address, Lecture, Reading, Keynote Speech, Guest Lecture, Conference Presentation).

Stein, Bob. “Reading and Writing in the Digital Era.” Discovering Digital Dimensions, Computers and Writing Conference, 23 May 2003, Union Club Hotel, West Lafayette, IN. Keynote Address.

Panel Discussions and Question-and-Answer Sessions

The MLA Handbook makes a distinction between the formal, rehearsed portion of a presentation and the informal discussion that often occurs after. To format an entry for a panel discussion or question-and-answer session, treat the panel members or speakers as authors by listing them first. If these people are formally listed as panelists, indicate this by following their names with a comma and the title "panelist(s)." Follow with the title of the discussion, or, if there is no title, a simple description. In the latter case, don't capitalize the description. Follow this with the title of the conference or event. End with the date and the location.

Bavis, Jim and Stein, Tammi, panelists. Panel discussion. Dawn or Doom Conference, 4 Nov. 2018, Stewart Hall, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.

Treat recorded discussions as instances of the appropriate medium (e.g., if you want to cite a recording of a panel discussion hosted on YouTube, cite it the same way you would cite an ordinary online video ).

Published Conference Proceedings

Cite published conference proceedings like a book. If the date and location of the conference are not part of the published title, add this information after the published proceedings title.

Last Name, First Name, editor. Conference Title , Conference Date and Location, Publisher, Date of Publication.

To cite a presentation from published conference proceedings, begin with the presenter’s name. Place the name of the presentation in quotation marks. Follow with publication information for the conference proceedings.

Last Name, First Name. “Conference Paper Title.” Conference Title that Includes Conference Date and Location , edited by Conference Editor(s), Publisher, Date of Publication.

A Painting, Sculpture, or Photograph

Provide the artist's name, the title of the artwork in italics, and the date of composition. Finally, provide the name of the institution that houses the artwork followed by the location of the institution (if the location is not listed in the name of the institution, e.g. The Art Institute of Chicago).

Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV . 1800, Museo del Prado, Madrid.

If the medium and/or materials (e.g., oil on canvas) are important to the reference, you can include this information at the end of the entry. However, it is not required.

For photographic reproductions of artwork (e.g. images of artwork in a book), treat the book or website as a container. Remember that for a second container, the title is listed first, before the contributors. Cite the bibliographic information as above followed by the information for the source in which the photograph appears, including page or reference numbers (plate, figure, etc.).

Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV . 1800, Museo del Prado, Madrid. Gardener's Art Through the Ages , 10 th ed., by Richard G. Tansey and Fred S. Kleiner, Harcourt Brace, p. 939.

If you viewed the artwork on the museum's website, treat the name of the website as the container and include the website's publisher and the URL at the end of the citation. Omit publisher information if it is the same as the name of the website. Note the period after the date below, rather than the comma: this is because the date refers to the painting's original creation, rather than to its publication on the website. Thus, MLA format considers it an "optional element."

Goya, Francisco.  The Family of Charles IV . 1800 . Museo del Prado,  museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-family-of-carlos-iv/f47898fc-aa1c-48f6-a779-71759e417e74.

A Song or Album

Music can be cited multiple ways. Mainly, this depends on the container that you accessed the music from. Generally, citations begin with the artist name. They might also be listed by composers or performers. Otherwise, list composer and performer information after the album title. Put individual song titles in quotation marks. Album names are italicized. Provide the name of the recording manufacturer followed by the publication date.

If information such as record label or name of album is unavailable from your source, do not list that information.

Morris, Rae. “Skin.” Cold, Atlantic Records, 2014. Spotify , open.spotify.com/track/0OPES3Tw5r86O6fudK8gxi.

Online Album

Beyoncé. “Pray You Catch Me.” Lemonade, Parkwood Entertainment, 2016, www.beyonce.com/album/lemonade-visual-album/.

Nirvana. "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Nevermind , Geffen, 1991.

Films or Movies

List films by their title. Include the name of the director, the film studio or distributor, and the release year. If relevant, list performer names after the director's name.

Speed Racer . Directed by Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski, performances by Emile Hirsch, Nicholas Elia, Susan Sarandon, Ariel Winter, and John Goodman, Warner Brothers, 2008.

To emphasize specific performers or directors, begin the citation with the name of the desired performer or director, followed by the appropriate title for that person.

Lucas, George, director. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope . Twentieth Century Fox, 1977.

Television Shows

Recorded Television Episodes

Cite recorded television episodes like films (see above). Begin with the episode name in quotation marks. Follow with the series name in italics. When the title of the collection of recordings is different than the original series (e.g., the show Friends is in DVD release under the title Friends: The Complete Sixth Season), list the title that would help researchers to locate the recording. Give the distributor name followed by the date of distribution.

"The One Where Chandler Can't Cry." Friends: The Complete Sixth Season , written by Andrew Reich and Ted Cohen, directed by Kevin Bright, Warner Brothers, 2004.

Broadcast TV or Radio Program

Begin with the title of the episode in quotation marks. Provide the name of the series or program in italics. Also include the network name, call letters of the station followed by the date of broadcast and city.

"The Blessing Way." The X-Files . Fox, WXIA, Atlanta, 19 Jul. 1998.

Netflix, Hulu, Google Play

Generally, when citing a specific episode, follow the format below.

“94 Meetings.” Parks and Recreation, season 2, episode 21, NBC, 29 Apr. 2010. Netflix, www.netflix.com/watch/70152031.

An Entire TV Series

When citing the entire series of a TV show, use the following format.

Daniels, Greg and Michael Schur, creators. Parks and Recreation . Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2015.

A Specific Performance or Aspect of a TV Show

If you want to emphasize a particular aspect of the show, include that particular information. For instance, if you are writing about a specific character during a certain episode, include the performer’s name as well as the creator’s.

“94 Meetings.” Parks and Recreation, created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, performance by Amy Poehler, season 2, episode 21, Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2010.

If you wish to emphasize a particular character throughout the show’s run time, follow this format.

Poehler, Amy, performer. Parks and Recreation. Deedle-Dee Productions and Universal Media Studios, 2009-2015.

Begin with the title of the episode in quotation marks. Provide the name of the series in italics. Then follow with MLA format per usual.

“Best of Not My Job Musicians.” Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! from NPR, 4 June 2016, www.npr.org/podcasts/344098539/wait-wait-don-t-tell-me.

Spoken-Word Albums such as Comedy Albums

Treat spoken-word albums the same as musical albums.

Hedberg, Mitch. Strategic Grill Locations . Comedy Central, 2003.

Digital Files (PDFs, MP3s, JPEGs)

Determine the type of work to cite (e.g., article, image, sound recording) and cite appropriately. End the entry with the name of the digital format (e.g., PDF, JPEG file, Microsoft Word file, MP3). If the work does not follow traditional parameters for citation, give the author’s name, the name of the work, the date of creation, and the location.

Beethoven, Ludwig van. Moonlight Sonata . Crownstar, 2006.

Smith, George. “Pax Americana: Strife in a Time of Peace.” 2005. Microsoft Word file.

Council of Writing Program Administrators, National Council of Teachers of English, and National Writing Project. Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing . CWPA, NCTE, and NWP, 2011, wpacouncil.org/files/framework-for-success-postsecondary-writing.pdf.

Bentley, Phyllis. “Yorkshire and the Novelist.” The Kenyon Review , vol. 30, no. 4, 1968, pp. 509-22. JSTOR , www.jstor.org.iii/stable/4334841.

Home / Guides / Citation Guides / MLA Format / How to Cite a Report in MLA

How to Cite a Report in MLA

Citing a report.

Report – A document containing the findings of an individual or group. Can include a technical paper, publication, issue brief, or working paper.

Report Citation Structure

Last, First M. Report Title . Publisher, date published, URL (if applicable).

Note: If the author and publisher of the report are the same, start your citation with the title of the report instead. 

First Page of Report

Report Citation Example:

Gorbunova, Yulia and Konstantin Baranov. Laws of Attrition: Crackdown on Russia’s Civil Society After Putin’s Return to the Presidency . Human Rights Watch, 2013.

Report In-text Citation Structure:

(Author Last Name(s) Page #)

Report In-text Citation Example: 

(Gorbunova and Konstantin 4)

MLA Formatting Guide

MLA Formatting

• Annotated Bibliography
• Bibliography
• Block Quotes
• et al Usage
• In-text Citations
• Paraphrasing
• Page Numbers
• Sample Paper
• Works Cited
• MLA 8 Updates
• MLA 9 Updates
• View MLA Guide

Citation Examples

• Book Chapter
• Journal Article
• Magazine Article
• Newspaper Article
• Website (no author)
• View all MLA Examples

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To cite a report in MLA style, you need to have basic information including the author or the organization name, title of the report, and publication year. The templates for in-text citations and works-cited-list entries of a report, along with examples, are given below:

Report created and published by the same organization

In-text citation template and example:

Use the organization’s name in both prose and parenthetical citation.

Citation in prose: Pew Research Center

Parenthetical: (Pew Research Center)

Works-cited-list entry template and example:

Title of the Chapter . Organization Name, Publication Date.

Audio and Podcasting Fact Sheet . Pew Research Center, July 2018.

Different authors and publisher

Use the below template when the author and publisher are different. For citations in prose, use the first name and surname of the first author followed by “and others” or “and colleagues.” In subsequent citations, use only the surname of the first author followed by “and others” or “and colleagues.” In parenthetical citations, always use only the surname of the first author followed by “et al.”

Citation in prose:

First instance: Kim Parker and others . . . Or Kim Parker and colleagues

Subsequent occurrences: Parker and others . . . Or Parker and colleagues

Parenthetical:

. . . (Parker et al.)

Surname, First Name, et al. Title of the Report . Organization Name, Publication Date, URL.

Parker, Kim, et al. About Half of Lower-Income Americans Report Household Job or Wage Loss Due to COVID-19 . Pew Research Center, Apr. 2020, www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/ 04 /21/about-half-of-lower-income-americans-report-household-job-or-wage-loss-due-to-covid-19/ .

To cite a government document in MLA style, you need to have basic information including the author or the organization name, title of the document, and publication year. The templates for in-text citations and works-cited-list entries of a government document, along with examples, are given below:

For citations in prose, use the first name and surname of the author in the first occurrence. In subsequent citations, use only the surname. In parenthetical citations, always use only the surname of the author.

First mention: Ferdinand Hayden . . .

Subsequent occurrences: Hayden . . .

. . . (Hayden)

Surname, First Name. Title of the Government Document . Organization Name, Publication Date.

Hayden, Ferdinand. Preliminary Report of the United States Geological Survey of Montana and Portions of Adjacent Territories . Government Printing Office, 1872.

MLA Citation Examples

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Generate accurate citations in MLA format automatically, with MyBib!

😕 What is an MLA Citation Generator?

An MLA citation generator is a software tool designed to automatically create academic citations in the Modern Language Association (MLA) citation format. The generator will take information such as document titles, author, and URLs as in input, and output fully formatted citations that can be inserted into the Works Cited page of an MLA-compliant academic paper.

The citations on a Works Cited page show the external sources that were used to write the main body of the academic paper, either directly as references and quotes, or indirectly as ideas.

👩‍🎓 Who uses an MLA Citation Generator?

MLA style is most often used by middle school and high school students in preparation for transition to college and further education. Ironically, MLA style is not actually used all that often beyond middle and high school, with APA (American Psychological Association) style being the favored style at colleges across the country.

It is also important at this level to learn why it's critical to cite sources, not just how to cite them.

🙌 Why should I use a Citation Generator?

Writing citations manually is time consuming and error prone. Automating this process with a citation generator is easy, straightforward, and gives accurate results. It's also easier to keep citations organized and in the correct order.

The Works Cited page contributes to the overall grade of a paper, so it is important to produce accurately formatted citations that follow the guidelines in the official MLA Handbook .

⚙️ How do I use MyBib's MLA Citation Generator?

It's super easy to create MLA style citations with our MLA Citation Generator. Scroll back up to the generator at the top of the page and select the type of source you're citing. Books, journal articles, and webpages are all examples of the types of sources our generator can cite automatically. Then either search for the source, or enter the details manually in the citation form.

The generator will produce a formatted MLA citation that can be copied and pasted directly into your document, or saved to MyBib as part of your overall Works Cited page (which can be downloaded fully later!).

MyBib supports the following for MLA style:

Daniel is a qualified librarian, former teacher, and citation expert. He has been contributing to MyBib since 2018.

Cite a court case in MLA style

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• Archive material
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• DVD, video, or film
• E-book or PDF
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• Music or recording
• Online image or video
• Presentation
• Press release
• Religious text

Use the following template or our MLA Citation Generator to cite a court case. For help with other source types, like books, PDFs, or websites, check out our other guides. To have your reference list or bibliography automatically made for you, try our free citation generator .

Reference list

Place this part in your bibliography or reference list at the end of your assignment.

In-text citation

Place this part right after the quote or reference to the source in your assignment.

Popular MLA Citation Guides

• How to cite a Book in MLA style
• How to cite a Website in MLA style
• How to cite a Journal in MLA style
• How to cite a DVD, video, or film in MLA style
• How to cite a Online image or video in MLA style

Other MLA Citation Guides

• How to cite a Archive material in MLA style
• How to cite a Artwork in MLA style
• How to cite a Blog in MLA style
• How to cite a Broadcast in MLA style
• How to cite a Chapter of an edited book in MLA style
• How to cite a Conference proceedings in MLA style
• How to cite a Court case in MLA style
• How to cite a Dictionary entry in MLA style
• How to cite a Dissertation in MLA style
• How to cite a E-book or PDF in MLA style
• How to cite a Edited book in MLA style
• How to cite a Email in MLA style
• How to cite a Encyclopedia article in MLA style
• How to cite a Government publication in MLA style
• How to cite a Interview in MLA style
• How to cite a Legislation in MLA style
• How to cite a Magazine in MLA style
• How to cite a Music or recording in MLA style
• How to cite a Newspaper in MLA style
• How to cite a Patent in MLA style
• How to cite a Podcast in MLA style
• How to cite a Presentation or lecture in MLA style
• How to cite a Press release in MLA style
• How to cite a Religious text in MLA style
• How to cite a Report in MLA style
• How to cite a Software in MLA style

ASAP - Terre Haute / Greencastle

• APA Style_Starting Points
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• Research & Citations

The Research Question

• General to Specific Research Questions
• How to Develop a Research Topic & Research Question [Video]

Database Citation & Organization Tools

Citation Tutorials and Tools

Additional tools for the research process are linked here, including plagiarism tutorials through Credo, as well as NoodleTools, which is free research gathering, organizing, and citing platform.

Argument Essay Research

These are some commonly used databases for use in researched argument or persuasion essays.

However, always  check your assignment guidelines for required library databases to make sure you are meeting the assignment expectations.

Scholarly articles, News articles and Audio-visual content, Opinions, Primary sources, Reference, and Websites on topics of social interest. Scholarly content and general reader. Recommended for argumentative research.

Overview articles, opinions, some primary sources, presenting multiple sides of topical issues. Browse topics or keyword search. Designed for argumentative research.

Reports related to topics in the news and social and political issues. Recommended for topic overviews and for argumentative essays.

Reference works, Scholarly journals, Trade publications, and important General interest magazines covering core academic subject areas. Help Guide available.

Portal to all EBSCO databases including Academic Search Complete, Health Source Nursing/Academic Edition, and more; select as appropriate from this entry page.

To locate additional databases,  use the Library's A-Z Resources List.                                 

Peer Reviewed Articles

Your instructor assigned a term paper that requires using two or more "scholarly" sources. What does that mean? How do you find scholarly sources? Why can't you use newspapers, magazines, websites, etc.?

Peer-reviewed articles (also known as "scholarly articles" or "academic articles") are articles that have been reviewed and approved as valid and relevant by experts within a particular field of study.

Instructors might require students to use only peer-reviewed material as part of assignment guidelines.

To locate peer-reviewed articles within Ivy Tech databases, try these search tips:

1. Locate the appropriate search filter by scrolling through delimiter options on the search page.  The database aggregate EBSCOhost , for example, provides a delimiter that refines search results for only peer reviewed articles.

2. Look for additional filters that might appear under a different name. For example, other resources like Social Sciences Full Text   offer an option to select "Academic Journal" as a Publication Type.  This filter returns only search results from journals that specialize in providing scholarly peer-reviewed resources.

3. Look for databases that specialize in offering only scholarly material. Databases like the Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection only publish peer-reviewed, academic articles, so no filter is typically necessary when searching this resource, unless you wish to select a particular document type within the database, like a case study.

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The Discover! search engine searches ALL of Ivy Tech's online resources.  Discover! is especially good for a really broad search as you are narrowing onto a topic.

Learn how to effectively navigate Discover! and the Library website n the following videos:

Start with Discover!

Boolean Search Phrases

When searching for a topic by keyword, it is helpful to use Boolean operators - words that help narrow or broaden your search. There are three primary Boolean operators, each used in capital letters in your search, that may help you.

Use when you have more than one search term and want all the words to be in the articles you look at

Example: nursing AND pediatric, when you only want to see articles about pediatric nursing

when you have more than one possible search term, and any of them would be acceptable

Example: asthma OR emphysema, when you want articles about chronic breathing illnesses but do not care which illness

Use when you have a broad search term but do not want to see articles about some topics that may fall under that category.

Example: nursing NOT pediatric, when you want to see articles about nursing care but not about working with children

Understanding Cross-Referencing

1. An in-text citation , which is an abbreviated form of the source citation included in the essay portion of the project

2. A full citation , which is included at the end of the project on a Works Cited page, References list, or whatever type of research format is required for the assignment.

One of your roles as a researcher and writer is assuring this cross-referencing technique is in place and has been used correctly so your readers have a very clear picture of where your research was derived, who provided the research, and how readers can follow your research trail to explore the source material themselves.

Here is an example of cross-referencing in APA 7th edition style:

According to Jones (2022), "Student researchers prefer APA to MLA at a rate of 4 to 1" (p.24).

This in- text citation tells readers that Jones made this statement in source material published in 2022. But the in-text citation also guides readers to the APA References list at the end of the essay for more information regarding the source material:

Jones , S. (2023) . Student research method preferences.  Journal of Research Studies,  12 (3), 19- 24 . https://doi.org/12.3210000

Because this source was fully cross-referenced, readers know that the quote from Jones came from this article on page 24 of the publication. And the article can be located using the information provided in the References list citation.

The same source would look like the following in MLA citation style:

According to Jones, "Student researchers prefer APA to MLA at a rate of 4 to 1"  (24).

Jones, Susan. "Student Research Method Preferences."  Journal of Research Studies, vol. 12, no.3,  2023, pp.19- 24 . doi:12.3210000.

A Glossary of Research Related Terms

• Annotated Bibliography: an alphabetized working list of potential sources containing 1) a full Works Cited style citation for the source 2) an analysis and summary of the source material regarding its credibility, important points made by the authors or sponsors of the source, and its relevance to a particular student research project.
• Citations: information regarding source material used in a research essay; in-text citations are located in the essay itself, while Works Cited citations (also known as ‘entries’) are located at the end of the research paper.
• Cross-referencing: the method in which a researcher connects in-text citations with source information located on the Works Cited page (s).
• Databases: online aggregates of research and information, often located within a college library virtual platform.
• DOI or Director Object Identifier:  a unique identification number assigned to source material, such as journal articles, which can be substituted for an URL or permalink in a Works CIted entry.
• Entry or Entries: a term used to describe each full citation listed on a Works Cited page.
• Full-Text: indicates a source is provided in its entirety, typically exactly as it was originally published.
• In-text citations: an abbreviated form of citation included in the body of an essay; the in-text citation matches the first word of the full Works Cited entry and allows readers to cross-reference, or match, the in-text citation with the entry on the Works Cited page.
• Journalist’s Questions:  a method of using “Who, What, Where, When, Why, or How” to establish elements of a citation or to determine validity of a source.
• Leading phrases: Also known as introductory tags  or signal phrases ; used in the body of a research paper to introduce source material, such as an author or a sponsor of the information or data being cited. Typically used when direct quotes are being integrated into the essay.
• Parenthetical citation: An in-text citation format that employs parentheses at the end of a sentence to provide cross-referencing information about a source. Typically used for summaries or paraphrases.
• Peer-reviewed or Scholarly Articles: Journal or magazine articles that are published by a vetted publisher or professional organization; articles that have been written and/or reviewed by professionals within any given field of study.
• Permalink: a dedicated hyperlink that will not change over time assigned to a specific resource.
• Plagiarism: Intentionally or unintentionally neglecting to give credit for ideas, opinions, research, or data that is not your own.
• References list :   page(s) located at the end of an APA style research essay; includes all pertinent information regarding sources used in the body of the research paper in the form of alphabetized entries.
• Works Cited: page(s) located at the end of an MLA style research essay; includes all pertinent information regarding sources used in the body of the research paper in the form of alphabetized entries.
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Watch CBS News

Details emerge after doctor raped and murdered in India as thousands protest

August 15, 2024 / 6:32 AM EDT / CBS/AFP

Thousands took to the streets of Kolkata early Thursday to condemn the rape and murder of a local doctor , demanding justice for the victim and an end to the chronic issue of violence against women in Indian society.

The discovery of the 31-year-old's brutalized body last week at a state-run hospital has sparked nationwide protests, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding swift punishment for those who commit "monstrous" deeds against women.

Large crowds marched through the streets of Kolkata in West Bengal to condemn the killing, with a candlelight rally at midnight coinciding with the start of India's independence day celebrations on Thursday.

The protesters in Kolkata, who marched under the slogan "reclaim the night", called for a wider tackling of violence against women and held up handwritten signs demanding action.

"We want justice," read one sign at the rally. "Hang the rapist, save the women," read another.

"The atrocities against women do not stop," midnight marcher Monalisa Guha told Kolkata's The Telegraph newspaper.

"We face harassment almost on a daily basis," another marcher, Sangeeta Halder, told the daily. "But not stepping out because of fear is not the solution."

"Monstrous behavior against women"

Modi, speaking in New Delhi on Thursday morning at independence day celebrations, did not specifically reference the Kolkata murder, but expressed his "pain" at violence against women.

"There is anger for atrocities committed against our mothers and sisters, there is anger in the nation about that," he said.

"Crimes against women should be quickly investigated; monstrous behavior against women should be severely and quickly punished," he added. "That is essential for creating deterrence and confidence in the society."

Doctors are also demanding swift justice and better workplace security in the wake of the killing, with those in government hospitals across several states on Monday halting elective services "indefinitely" in protest.

Protests have since occurred in several other hospitals across the country, including in the capital.

"Doctors nationwide are questioning what is so difficult about enacting a law for our security," Dhruv Chauhan, from the Indian Medical Association's Junior Doctors' Network, told the Press Trust of India news agency. "The strike will continue until all demands are formally met."

The Telegraph on Thursday praised the "spirited public protests" across India.

"Hearteningly, doctors and medical organizations are not the only ones involved," it said in an editorial. "The ranks of the protesters have been swelled by people from all walks of life."

Police accused of mishandling case

Indian media have reported the murdered doctor was found in the teaching hospital's seminar hall, suggesting she had gone there for a brief rest during a long shift.

An autopsy has confirmed sexual assault, and in a petition to the court, the victim's parents have said that they suspected their daughter was gang-raped, according to Indian broadcaster NDTV.  

Though police have detained a man who worked at the hospital helping people navigate busy queues, officers have been accused of mishandling the case.

Kolkata's High Court on Tuesday transferred the case to the elite Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to "inspire public confidence."

In the early hours of Thursday, a mob of some 40 people angry at authorities' handling of the case stormed the grounds of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, the site of the murder.

The men smashed property and hurled stones at police, who fired tear gas in response, authorities said.

West Bengal lawmaker Abhishek Banerjee, from the Trinamool Congress party, condemned the "hooliganism and vandalism," but said "the demands of the protesting doctors are fair and justified."

History of sexual violence in India

Sexual violence against women is a widespread problem in India. An average of nearly 90 rapes a day were reported in India in 2022, according to  data  from the National Crime Records Bureau.

That year, police  arrested 11 people  after the alleged brutal gang rape and torture of a young woman that included her being paraded through the streets of Dehli. Also in 2022, a police officer in India was arrested after being  accused of raping  a 13-year-old girl who went to his station to report she had been gang-raped.

In March 2024, multiple Indian men were arrested after the  gang rape of a Spanish tourist  on a motorbike trip with her husband.

For many, the gruesome nature of the attack has invoked comparisons with the horrific 2012 gang rape and murder  of a young woman on a Delhi bus.

The woman became a symbol of the socially conservative country's failure to tackle sexual violence against women.

Her death sparked huge, and at times violent, demonstrations in Delhi and elsewhere.

Under pressure, the government introduced harsher penalties for rapists, and the death penalty for repeat offenders.

Several new sexual offences were also introduced, including stalking and jail sentences for officials who failed to register rape complaints.

• Sexual Violence

More from CBS News

Metro Detroit man recounts stopping suspect in attempted kidnapping of 7-year-old girl

AG Nessel announces Michigan's new law enforcement partnership to catch perpetrators of sexual assault

Detroit man killed after striking unrelated crash, rolling over and getting trapped inside car on Lodge Freeway

Michigan man pleads guilty to 2010 sexual assault cold case at Western Michigan University

How to cite ChatGPT

Use discount code STYLEBLOG15 for 15% off APA Style print products with free shipping in the United States.

We, the APA Style team, are not robots. We can all pass a CAPTCHA test , and we know our roles in a Turing test . And, like so many nonrobot human beings this year, we’ve spent a fair amount of time reading, learning, and thinking about issues related to large language models, artificial intelligence (AI), AI-generated text, and specifically ChatGPT . We’ve also been gathering opinions and feedback about the use and citation of ChatGPT. Thank you to everyone who has contributed and shared ideas, opinions, research, and feedback.

In this post, I discuss situations where students and researchers use ChatGPT to create text and to facilitate their research, not to write the full text of their paper or manuscript. We know instructors have differing opinions about how or even whether students should use ChatGPT, and we’ll be continuing to collect feedback about instructor and student questions. As always, defer to instructor guidelines when writing student papers. For more about guidelines and policies about student and author use of ChatGPT, see the last section of this post.

Quoting or reproducing the text created by ChatGPT in your paper

If you’ve used ChatGPT or other AI tools in your research, describe how you used the tool in your Method section or in a comparable section of your paper. For literature reviews or other types of essays or response or reaction papers, you might describe how you used the tool in your introduction. In your text, provide the prompt you used and then any portion of the relevant text that was generated in response.

Unfortunately, the results of a ChatGPT “chat” are not retrievable by other readers, and although nonretrievable data or quotations in APA Style papers are usually cited as personal communications , with ChatGPT-generated text there is no person communicating. Quoting ChatGPT’s text from a chat session is therefore more like sharing an algorithm’s output; thus, credit the author of the algorithm with a reference list entry and the corresponding in-text citation.

When prompted with “Is the left brain right brain divide real or a metaphor?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that although the two brain hemispheres are somewhat specialized, “the notation that people can be characterized as ‘left-brained’ or ‘right-brained’ is considered to be an oversimplification and a popular myth” (OpenAI, 2023).

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

You may also put the full text of long responses from ChatGPT in an appendix of your paper or in online supplemental materials, so readers have access to the exact text that was generated. It is particularly important to document the exact text created because ChatGPT will generate a unique response in each chat session, even if given the same prompt. If you create appendices or supplemental materials, remember that each should be called out at least once in the body of your APA Style paper.

When given a follow-up prompt of “What is a more accurate representation?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that “different brain regions work together to support various cognitive processes” and “the functional specialization of different regions can change in response to experience and environmental factors” (OpenAI, 2023; see Appendix A for the full transcript).

Creating a reference to ChatGPT or other AI models and software

The in-text citations and references above are adapted from the reference template for software in Section 10.10 of the Publication Manual (American Psychological Association, 2020, Chapter 10). Although here we focus on ChatGPT, because these guidelines are based on the software template, they can be adapted to note the use of other large language models (e.g., Bard), algorithms, and similar software.

The reference and in-text citations for ChatGPT are formatted as follows:

• Parenthetical citation: (OpenAI, 2023)
• Narrative citation: OpenAI (2023)

Let’s break that reference down and look at the four elements (author, date, title, and source):

Author: The author of the model is OpenAI.

Date: The date is the year of the version you used. Following the template in Section 10.10, you need to include only the year, not the exact date. The version number provides the specific date information a reader might need.

Title: The name of the model is “ChatGPT,” so that serves as the title and is italicized in your reference, as shown in the template. Although OpenAI labels unique iterations (i.e., ChatGPT-3, ChatGPT-4), they are using “ChatGPT” as the general name of the model, with updates identified with version numbers.

The version number is included after the title in parentheses. The format for the version number in ChatGPT references includes the date because that is how OpenAI is labeling the versions. Different large language models or software might use different version numbering; use the version number in the format the author or publisher provides, which may be a numbering system (e.g., Version 2.0) or other methods.

Bracketed text is used in references for additional descriptions when they are needed to help a reader understand what’s being cited. References for a number of common sources, such as journal articles and books, do not include bracketed descriptions, but things outside of the typical peer-reviewed system often do. In the case of a reference for ChatGPT, provide the descriptor “Large language model” in square brackets. OpenAI describes ChatGPT-4 as a “large multimodal model,” so that description may be provided instead if you are using ChatGPT-4. Later versions and software or models from other companies may need different descriptions, based on how the publishers describe the model. The goal of the bracketed text is to briefly describe the kind of model to your reader.

Source: When the publisher name and the author name are the same, do not repeat the publisher name in the source element of the reference, and move directly to the URL. This is the case for ChatGPT. The URL for ChatGPT is https://chat.openai.com/chat . For other models or products for which you may create a reference, use the URL that links as directly as possible to the source (i.e., the page where you can access the model, not the publisher’s homepage).

Other questions about citing ChatGPT

You may have noticed the confidence with which ChatGPT described the ideas of brain lateralization and how the brain operates, without citing any sources. I asked for a list of sources to support those claims and ChatGPT provided five references—four of which I was able to find online. The fifth does not seem to be a real article; the digital object identifier given for that reference belongs to a different article, and I was not able to find any article with the authors, date, title, and source details that ChatGPT provided. Authors using ChatGPT or similar AI tools for research should consider making this scrutiny of the primary sources a standard process. If the sources are real, accurate, and relevant, it may be better to read those original sources to learn from that research and paraphrase or quote from those articles, as applicable, than to use the model’s interpretation of them.

We’ve also received a number of other questions about ChatGPT. Should students be allowed to use it? What guidelines should instructors create for students using AI? Does using AI-generated text constitute plagiarism? Should authors who use ChatGPT credit ChatGPT or OpenAI in their byline? What are the copyright implications ?

On these questions, researchers, editors, instructors, and others are actively debating and creating parameters and guidelines. Many of you have sent us feedback, and we encourage you to continue to do so in the comments below. We will also study the policies and procedures being established by instructors, publishers, and academic institutions, with a goal of creating guidelines that reflect the many real-world applications of AI-generated text.

For questions about manuscript byline credit, plagiarism, and related ChatGPT and AI topics, the APA Style team is seeking the recommendations of APA Journals editors. APA Style guidelines based on those recommendations will be posted on this blog and on the APA Style site later this year.

Update: APA Journals has published policies on the use of generative AI in scholarly materials .

We, the APA Style team humans, appreciate your patience as we navigate these unique challenges and new ways of thinking about how authors, researchers, and students learn, write, and work with new technologies.

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

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